L&S Racing

We have a Ford superstock race car (probably a 77 or 78 t-bird body) with a blown 351M engine (manual trans). We also have a 351W out of an old Econoline van (automatic trans). We want to put the 351W in the race car, but the bell housing is different. Does anyone know whether they make an adaptor or converter plate that would bolt onto the existing bell housing? Where would I find one? Has anyone done this engine swap? Any tips would be appreciated. We are new to Fords (mostly worked on Chevys before). This is a U.S. post; I think there may be some differences in the engine situation in Australia.
Thank you!
L&S Racing

L&S Racing

GET A CHEVY, WIN SOME RACES

Freshmeat

What kind of manual transmission do you have? You can very likely take the bellhousing from a car with the same transmission that was behind a Windsor and not need an adapter (and, therefore, driveshaft shortening).

Check out www.windsor-fox.com and see if they can help. Any 302 bellhousing will fit on a 351W- it's the same bolt pattern.

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L&S Racing

Thanks, Freshmeat! Actually, I found a $20 Bell Housing on e-bay that looks like it would work _if_ the transmission is a 4-speed. Unfortunately, we are having trouble identifying the transmission in this car. We are not sure whether it's a 3-speed or a 4-speed (since it doesn't run, and the shifter's really stiff, the gear pattern is surprisingly hard to figure out). Do you have any suggestions about how to identify the transmission?

Thanks again--
L&S

Freshmeat

Can you find any identifying marks on the case? Any series of numbers/letters... manufacturers usually stamp the side with their name... etc. From there, just do a Google search and see what you can find.

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Rhett Walker

STOP!!!, before getting a new bellhousing, do you have a windsor or a cleveland???

351m is basically a cleveland, and a 351w is a windsor.
Bellhousing, engine mounts, exhaust/extractors, radiator hoses, much wider motor, heaps of things different. Look them up on the web, the 351 and 400m's were used in Yankie F100 - F250's. Reliable strong motor but not performance orientated.

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Gimme an old classic cruiser any day over a new car. I can jump on my fairlane all day long and not even dent it, just bump a new car 'n' your off to the panel beaters...

347stroker

OK, 351M is a larger cleveland in only deck height. The bellhousing on M engines is identical to Big Block cars, with the uppermost 2 bolts of the bellhousing about 2 inches higher. Engine mounts, widths of crankcase etc are the same. Just get a small block bellhousing for your box and she'll be apples.
Good luck with it all, 351W are a bloody ripper of an engine.

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1998 NL FBT number 007.
1997 EL GT number 051.
1998 Fairlane Concorde
2006 F250 Crew Cab
"Allright you sons of bitches......lets race" Smokey Yunick.

shiftless

The 3 speed and 4 speed toploader transmissions share the same bolt pattern and dimensions, AFAIK, so the bellhousings should be the same.